I wanted to repost a comment Jen Rose had about some recent observations concerning how news content at small dailies often fail to inform us.
Jen writes:
Too often in newsrooms it's about finding something--anything--to fill space, rather than about finding truly compelling stories and images. We write about things because we've always written about them instead of thinking about whether they're worth covering.
Quality journalism takes time. It means letting reporters invest themselves in thorough research. It means finding reporters who are willing to do that, and who have the skills for it. It means editors who are willing to coach young reporters. It means change, instead of just having lots of meetings and talking about change.
And it means making it worth my while, so that I feel like a professional who is actually doing important work. It's hard to feel that way when you tell your college friends what you make and they try to hide their horror and pity...and when your cousin with no education whatsoever makes more money managing the local McDonald's than you do as a full-time reporter at a small daily, with five years' experience under your belt.
Thank you Jen!